THIS CONSERVATIVE LOST IN LANDSLIDE/1964

       In this election year I am reminded of the 1964 election when I was not quite old enough to vote by two whole months. But, I knew who I thought I would have voted for if I just could.

        Sandi, my first wife, and I had just moved to Des Moines from Marshalltown with our baby daughter, La Risa. I was entering my junior year at Drake and we were renting the upstairs of an old converted duplex that Drake owned in the heart of the campus.

      President Lyndon Johnson-a Democrat, was running for re-election and he was running against Senator Berry Goldwater from Arizona. He was considered Mr. Conservative at the time. The Viet Nam War was raging. Being a business major I considered myself pro Republican and really thought Goldwater had a shot! He was all for bombing North Viet Nam to end the war at the time and Johnson did not.

        It was one of the biggest landslides ever. The electorate had voiced their feelings about changing leaders during a major conflict and along with other issues.As it turned out Johnson ended up bombing North Viet Nam and although initiated a lot of historical legislation at the time, he did not run for re-election due to the war. I believe it had just worn him down. An interesting time! Even though we only had a little black and white TV in our apartment, you could almost watch Johnson's hair turn white during his last term.